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Differential Expression of c-myc Gene and c-fos Gene in Premalignant and Malignant Tissues from Patients with Familial Polyposis Coli¹

Department of Genetics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812 [K. S., M. S., J-i. S., T. S.], and Department of Biochemical Genetics, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113 [S-i. K.], Japan

The expression of 8 oncogenes and the structures of 19 oncogenes were analyzed in 15 adenocarcinomas (12 primary and 3 metastatic), 18 adenomatous polyps, and 18 normal colonic mucosae derived from 19 patients with familial polyposis coli. The expression of c-myc gene was most elevated in carcinoma, and moderately elevated in adenoma, compared with corresponding normal colonic mucosa. In contrast, the expression of c-fos gene was markedly decreased in all samples of adenoma and carcinoma, compared with that of normal colonic mucosa. These characteristic expression patterns of c-myc and c-fos genes were revealed not only in familial polyposis coli but also in cases of nonhereditary colon carcinoma. Structures of the 19 oncogenes were not modified in either adenoma or carcinoma, except for amplification of the c-myc gene detected in one carcinoma, but not in adenoma, from the same patient. Analyses of the amplified c-myc gene suggest that gene duplication may relate to the mechanism of gene amplification. Thus, the enhanced expression of c-myc gene in adenoma and carcinoma may reflect the proliferative activity, while the c-fos gene may be a prerequisite to stabilize the state of terminal differentiation of colonic epithelial cells.

¹ This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Cancer Research 60010032, 60015072, 61010033, 61015078, 62010031, and 62015059 from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan, and by a Grant-in-Aid from Fukuoka Cancer Society.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 12/23/87. Revised 5/11/88. Accepted 6/ 3/88.

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